So I recently had a mommy doe that either had mastitis or just clogged milk ducts. Either way I wanted and it was recommended to relieve the milk from her so that any bacteria that might be in there would also be expressed. It was also requested that I show how I express the milk. So here goes.
STEP 1
First step is to find your doe.
STEP 2
Step 2 is to get your doe to relax so that you can relieve her of her milk. Since you have to have her on her back to get to the nipple it is easiest to put the doe in a sort of trance. Yeah, didn't think I'd teach you how to be a hypnotist too did ya? What I do is take the doe and place her on her back in my lap. She might flip back over a few times but stick with it.
Once she is on her back I stroke her nose, (who doesn't like their nose stroked,) and you can pretty much do whatever you want after that, from clipping nails to combing her tummy hairs. This time we'll get some milk. (WARNING: This isn't the milk you put in cereal. If you put it in your cereal....let me know how it tastes, I'm curious.)
STEP 3
Now that she is relaxed place your non dominant hand, for me it's left, under the mass of the nipple you want to get milk from. Gently make the area into a "mountain" with a peak. The peak of course should be the nipple. You should be able to see the area my left hand is under. It doesn't hurt but it does allow you to get a better sucking motion on the nipple with your dominant hand. Otherwise it's very hard to get that little tiny nipple milked.
STEP 4
Which brings us to the milking. Take the pointer finger and thumb of your dominant hand and place them at the bottom of the nipple but the top of the mountain. With your hands in this position slightly slower your non dominant hand while at the same time squeezing the nipple upwards with the pointer and thumb of the dominant hand. It may take a few "tugs" (for lack of a better word,) but you will eventually see a small amount of milk come out. Continue this until the milk is out or at least as much of it as you want gone is out.
STEP 5
Now it's time to wake the rabbit from it's trance. First, tell the rabbit it's a chicken, then flip her over and tell her what a good job she did. I gave mine an apple.
Sorry about the pictures, my phone doesn't take too great of pictures but I hope they were good enough. If I'm unclear on any points please let me know and I will attempt to make them more clear.
STEP 1
First step is to find your doe.
STEP 2
Step 2 is to get your doe to relax so that you can relieve her of her milk. Since you have to have her on her back to get to the nipple it is easiest to put the doe in a sort of trance. Yeah, didn't think I'd teach you how to be a hypnotist too did ya?
What I do is take the doe and place her on her back in my lap. She might flip back over a few times but stick with it.
Once she is on her back I stroke her nose, (who doesn't like their nose stroked,) and you can pretty much do whatever you want after that, from clipping nails to combing her tummy hairs. This time we'll get some milk. (WARNING: This isn't the milk you put in cereal. If you put it in your cereal....let me know how it tastes, I'm curious.)
STEP 3
Now that she is relaxed place your non dominant hand, for me it's left, under the mass of the nipple you want to get milk from. Gently make the area into a "mountain" with a peak. The peak of course should be the nipple. You should be able to see the area my left hand is under. It doesn't hurt but it does allow you to get a better sucking motion on the nipple with your dominant hand. Otherwise it's very hard to get that little tiny nipple milked.
STEP 4
Which brings us to the milking. Take the pointer finger and thumb of your dominant hand and place them at the bottom of the nipple but the top of the mountain. With your hands in this position slightly slower your non dominant hand while at the same time squeezing the nipple upwards with the pointer and thumb of the dominant hand. It may take a few "tugs" (for lack of a better word,) but you will eventually see a small amount of milk come out. Continue this until the milk is out or at least as much of it as you want gone is out.
STEP 5
Now it's time to wake the rabbit from it's trance. First, tell the rabbit it's a chicken, then flip her over and tell her what a good job she did. I gave mine an apple.
Sorry about the pictures, my phone doesn't take too great of pictures but I hope they were good enough. If I'm unclear on any points please let me know and I will attempt to make them more clear.
